Artificial hand



G. RALSTON AND E. BLANKE NSHIP.

ARTIFICIAL HAND. APPLICATION men JUNE 21. 'ms.

1,304,201. Pate nted May 20, 1919.

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a woe/Ma s natural simulation of the natural hand.

GAvINnALsToN AND EARL iaL NKENsHIP, or communes, 0KLAHOMA.

ARTIFICIAL HAND.

Specification of Letters IPatent.

Patented May 20, 1919.

Application filed June 21, 1918. Serial N 0. 241,215.

To all whom it may concern: I r w Be it known that we, GAVIN RALs'roN and EARL BLANKENSHIP, citizens of the United States, residing at Commerce in the county, of Ottawa, State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Artificial Hands; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of-the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in artificial hands, more particularly of that general type wherein the digits of the hand are formed by pliable core members disposed'within the yielding vfinger body members whereby the finger members may be retained in any desired position upon being. bent to such position. I

It is in generaltheobject of the present invention to improve the construction of devices of this character, more particularly with respect to efi'ecting an increased strength and durability thereof, and a more A more detailed object resides'in the provision of an improved means for anchoring the finger members to the body of the hand,

whereby to lessen breaking strain on the members and prevent a seam at their juncture with the hand.

Withthe above and other objects and advantages 'in view, the invention resides more particularly in the novel combination, formation and" arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 7

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the front of a hand constructed in accordance with the present invention, portions of the glove-being broken away. I

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the back of the hand.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the hand on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view through one of the finger members.

Fig. 5 is a section-a1 view taken transversely thumb I v Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the improved artificial hand comprises a body block 10, simithrough the base portion of thelarin shape to the palm of a natural hand,

and threaded in-the wrist end of the body block and passed through a plate 11 secured to said wrist end 'is an attaching bolt 12 adapted for securement to the body of the artificial arm portion 1n a conventional manner. The plate 11, which is preferably "of aluminum, is provided with an inturned annular binding flange 13 surrounding the I body block. At the finger end of the body block there are provided a plurality of extensions 14 corresponding to the fingers and each outwardly tapered to an edge extending transversely ofthe hand. Each of the fingers is. formed of a core member 15 of very stiff wire extending into and anchored in the body member and surrounding the core wire is a sheathing formed of a plurality of thicknesses of rubberized fabnic 16 on which is molded a finger body 17- of rubber or similar resilient material, and, the

. base of each finger bodyis provided with a V-shaped recess to receive the corresponding finger projection 14 and anchor nails 18 are driven obliquely through the base portions of the finger bodies. and into the projections 14. Surrounding the junctures of the finger bodies and the body block 10 is a band of 'metal 19, preferably of aluminum and inset in the body block and finger bodies, the edge portions of the band where it overlaps the finger bodies 14 being slit at 19 whereby the. meta% may be bent between and against the fi bodies. a

comparatively simple and exceedingly strongand durable means is thus provided for anchoring the finger members to the body of the hand, to lessen the strain on said finger members at their; junctures with the hand and to avoid a p ssible appearance of i a seam at'said junctures.

' For attaching a thumb member tothef palm body block 10, the corresponding portion of the body block is provided with a rejection 20 shaped to form itself a thumb ase portion, and tapered at its outer end for the engagement of the recessed inner portion of a thumb body 21 molded on a rubber-' ized fabric sheathing 22 in which is disposed, as described in conjunction with the finger members, a stiff core wire 23' embedded in thebody block. Embedded in and shaped 'to fit that-portion of the body block 10 surrounding the thumb base 20 thereof is a plate 24, from which extends a collar 25 overlapping the juncture of the thumb base 20 and the rubber thumb,v

body 21.-

The entire hand thus provided is covered by a leather sheathing or glove 26, to cover the junctures of the various portions of the hand and impart a natural appearance thereto. The core wires of the thumb and fingers are of such strength preferably as to resist a bending pressure up to twentyfive pounds, and they may be readily bent to any desired natural positions, or may be bent to embrace and hold an object.

What is claimed is:

1. An artificial hand comprising a base block, finger and thumb core wires extendin from and secured in the base block,

pliable finger and thumb body members .sur-.

finger bodies and body block,and the outer portion of said band beingslit and the metal etween said slits being bent about the base portions of the finger body. a

3. An artificial hand including a palm body block,' a plurality of beveled extensions on said body block, pliable finger bodies recessed to fit about said extensions at their body block, an extension on said body block forming a thumb base portion, a plate fitted against the body block about said thumb base portion, a pliable thumb body secured to sald thumb base portion and a collar onthe plate embracing the thumb base portion and the adjacent pprtion of the thumb body. In testimony w ereof, we afiix our signatures, in the presence of two witnesses.

' GAVIN RALSTON.

EARL BLANKENS-HIP. itnesses:

- A. D. BnNNn'rr,

Cnenms B. MITCHELL. 

